Everything you need to know about This New RPG
‘In space only your cell-mates can hear you scream.’ Charged for crimes I did not commit – (at least that’s what my interstellar judicial rep told me to say), I have been sentenced to review this criminally good looking game from developer Wooden Alien.
Welcome to Space Prison, a mix of adventure RPG with turn-based tactical combat. Set within the confines of the ultimate space penitentiary from where no one returns. Ever! Slip into the jumpsuit of a incarcerated criminal from the far distant future. Join a gang. Complete jobs and favours. Rise through its ranks. Scavenge materials and upgrade workbenches, to craft a host of prohibited paraphernalia. Look to escape your infernal existence or die and be brought back again, and again, and again. Ad infinitum.
Read on and discover the findings of the prison board’s last impromptu inspection. ‘We hope you enjoy your stay – permanently!‘
Table of contents:
- The Institution
- A Hard knock life
- Jailbirds & Swag
- Shiv Jousting
- Technical
- Complexity
- Stayingpower
- Production
- Verdict
The institution
► The game embraces a wonderfully novel PREMISE that successfully combines the familiar 2D style adventure with lite RPG elements, rudimentary turn-based tactical combat and a host of supporting features that brings a fresh take on this particular style of game.
► The x2 available GAME MODES are the minimum one would expect, yet there is a considerable amount of content. The main difference between Standard and Broken Collar mode is the former allows unlimited revivals and the latter has permadeath.
► The STORY only touches upon the game in a minimal way due to its lean WRITING style. Used efficiently to drive forward events. Told through interactions with inmates, it is the main provision for triggering quests and cleverly contributes a respectful amount of flavour towards the quirky sci-fi atmosphere.
► Without doubt the GAMEWORLD is among its best features, remindful to a degree of the prison sections in Guardians of the Galaxy. Proficiently rendered 2D environments are home to an adequate amount of prison themed activities. While the x6 main locations are persistent, an interconnected web of nodal areas change every day to instil some dynamicity with random encounters. This generate a penitentiary with a ‘larger that it looks’ feel. Outer elements of the map start off-limits, with harder content becoming accessible only with progression.
► LOCATIONS such as the cellblock, dining area, med-bay and bathrooms are alive with a host of NPCs to talk to, avoid or fight. As well as resources to scavenge, facilities to interact with and security assets to avoid. While these areas have a similar look and feel, each provides unique functions vital to keep the character alive and to resolve objectives. Secret stashes and hidden pockets are a nice little detail that allows contraband to remain hidden from the prying eyes of security patrols.
► With only x2 GANGS, background prison life is kept uncomplicated, to contribute to some streamlined play. Both have the same type of hierarchy, but different story-arcs to complete to reach the endgame. Each has its own exclusive secret hideout with more advanced facilities and services. Some need unlocking. Along with various guard types and security restrictions, there are a number of unaffiliated NPCs who can be recruited or fought. Though these loners remain aloof unless approached.
A hard knock life
► PLAYER CREATION is concise, offering minor differences in playstyle. Of the x3 races to choose, each has a combat perk and unique skill. A choice of up to x8 criminal occupations define more starting perks. All of which feed into possible dialogue choices for some encounters with gang members.
► STAYING ALIVE requires being fighting fit by managing x3 core stats: Health, Hunger and Hope. Each of these requires topping-up, day-to-day. Items to achieve this can be purchased, crafted or found by using appropriate facilities. Depending on how low or high these are, various states begin to affect the abilities of the character, until sufficiently sated.
► A DAY/NIGHT CYCLE ensures semi-realistic behaviour. With travelling taking one hour from the day. At night a CURFEW restricts travel outside of the cell-block. This fosters a CHOICES MATTER philosophy that shackles the player into focusing their activities. A limitation that makes unlocking quick-travel vital. Randomly generated Daily Modifier add spice to available actions by restricting movement or penalising some other aspect of the game.
► The CELL HUB is where the character starts and ends each prison day. Contained within are a nice amount of basic facilities that allow the character to get started on their life inside. These include: a sleeping area, workbench, washroom, storage area, and pods for rat allies. All of these can be upgraded several times to expand their capabilities. Once the character joins a gang they also have access to that gang’s base of operations, full of better facilities, services and traders.
► QUESTS like much of the game are suitably themed. Most are simplistic. Some have complexity. Though quite diverse, these are fed in manageable amounts to avoid overwhelming the player. Fellow gang members dish out a mix of story-based quests. The main way of increasing respect with the player’s character. While those are not timed, optional quests from guards or rivals can be. Unfortunately due to RNG some objectives located in nodal areas can be impossible to complete. More trivial one-off side-quests from guards and rival NPCs would have added to the immersion.
► PROGRESSION is different from the usual RPG format. Cleverly ingrained within gang membership, but dependent on completing quests for individuals. Characters do not gain XP, but earn respect for the chance to rise through the ranks of a prison gang. Once enough is earned, the character can challenge a higher ranked member to replace them. The character also receives a choice of implant to gain a new skill or increase an existing one. Leadership also rises to allow the deployment of more or stronger party members.
Jailbirds & Swag
► PARTY MANAGEMENT is deceptively good. Intricate due to many factors. Their numbers are limited only by the resources to convince allies to join the group. Rats can be coaxed out from their hiding places. Humans or alien gang members join when the character has earned enough rewards. Unaffiliated prisoners can be paid to join. Non-gangbangers rise in levels in parallel with the player’s character.
In combat any combination of allies can be deployed at the start of an encounter up to the leadership value. Though they are limited to fighting in only one battle per day. Party members have their own positive and negative traits and an inventory that can be optionally expanded to hold their own weapon, armour and consumables to heal allies or attack enemies.
► INVENTORY is low-grade, low tech. Suitably flavoursome it goes hand-in-hand with a comprehensive CRAFTING system that excels. Both play a central role due to a diverse set of crafting materials available to create a host of weapons, armour, keys, drugs, tools and other sophisticated items required to win combat or allow for progression. More importantly they also provide the vital meals and other substances required to keep the character fed and their spirits high. Currently items cannot be dismantled into constitute parts and the inventory isn’t accessible during fights.
► INFO is a flexible form of prison currency in keeping with the setting. It can be received as rewards for completing quests or favours. When used these reveal the personal and combat details of the prison inmates. Proving vital in understanding the opponent being faced in the next combat. They can be also be used to complete a task or pay for a service.
Shiv Jousting
► TURN-BASED TACTICAL COMBAT appears primitive at first glance, but eventually demonstrates a range of depth and intricacy that offers an intriguing amount of tactical possibilities. Though much of these are defined by party setup before deployment. Encounters are party-based. Opponents take their turns across a shared initiative-led sequence and their attritional nature promotes a systematic flow of exchanges.
Fights occur on restrictive battlefields meant to emulate the confines of a prison/space station. Sides face off across a moveable frontline that can never be crossed. Jostling enemies into position is achieved by pulling or pushing with skills or equipment. There are no specific tactics such as overwatch or flanking. Secondary options come from equipped inventory such as projectiles, grenades or for defence and healing. There is no morale system and no chance for reinforcements.
Combatants have a set number of action points to move, generate extra armour or to use ranged or melee attacks depending on the equipped weapon. Some of these are multi-phase, with more than one attack, apply states and/or involve movement as well. Targeting is individualistic, but some items give area-of-effect damage. A diverse number of traps can be taken advantage of by either side, with a little luck or tactical nous.
► ENEMIES come in several types and variants. These combinations of creatures and drones exhibit the same style of attack and other combat related abilities. Each are encountered in their own locations. Guards and other security drones patrol the main locations armed with superior weapons, but will look to punish the player’s character rather than fight, if caught carrying contraband or when encountered in off-limit zones.
► COMBAT AI is basic given the uncomplicated make-up of the combat system. Abilities are used in a capable manner. Pulling targets close to strike at them or pushing them onto traps. Those that can attack from range, do so. They can heal allies and a very few can summon additional allies too. Outside of combat, SECURITY AI patrol set patterns and react to alarms being sounded. Unless the player exits their character swiftly from the location.
Technical
► AUDIOVISUALS achieve their goal of generating a more than suitable atmosphere for this irregular sci-fi setting. The art style gives VISUALS a graphic novel feel that adds to the character of the game. The SOUNDTRACK may be monotonous, but it produces an eerie quality that fits well with the space station setting and increases the feeling of bleakness given the player’s dire situation. VOICE ACTING would have raised the level of immersion, but there is none. SOUNDEFFECTS are fine for the most part, though some like the drone weapon attacks are underwhelming.
► The UI is functional with the sort of format and organisation one would expect from an RPG. However, it is missing quite a lot of QoL which makes some aspects annoying to use. The worst aspects are splitting stacked items, moving items to and from the character’s inventory, as items can only be moved by dragging them across the screen.
Complexity
🔶 ACCESSIBILITY – There is minor complexity in the mechanics. Info screens pop-up with new concepts. A sizeable amount of info is accessible through tool-tips. No ledger that holds the sum of all knowledge is available for reference.
🔶 DIFFICULTY – Standard mode is fairly straightforward and very playable. Some encounters can be challenging. Since dead characters are brought back to life it is quite forgiving.
🔶 BALANCE – Is spot on for the first act with the player having a fairly easy time learning the game. The need to stave off hunger and loss of hope is never impossible due to the never ending regeneration of resources on a daily basis. Fights start off simple but become tougher only when the player’s character has access to the needed inventory and allies. A significant number of side-quests are difficult to complete due to a lack of objectives to target, a possible RNG issue.
🔶 PACE – It starts slowly but grows at a convenient pace. The tempo of progression is kept in check by the rate of which story quests are attempted. Visiting locations required for current quests can be slowed by Daily Modifiers. Gaining respect to progress through gang hierarchy is slowed at times as quests have to be overlooked to forage for vital consumables.
🔶 SCALING – Much of the game is designed to scale with progression. Unlocking cell facilities is fast initially, but remain steady afterwards. Access to harder areas only becomes available as the character progresses through the gang hierarchy.
Staying Power
🟨 REPLAY VALUE – Once standard mode is beaten, the permadeath mode becomes active. While the major story arcs of the two gangs are scripted, the choices of things to do each day, the daily station modifiers and the procedurally generated content of the nodal areas allow for some dynamicity in experience when replaying.
🟨 LONGEVITY – Achievements ensure the game needs at least two playthroughs. As do the x2 game modes. Additional reasons to keep playing are unfinished achievements, playing with each of combinations afforded by character creation.
Production
🟣 QUALITY – Bugs have been reported fairly consistently upon release. The worst are breaks in continuity where the points of interest of completed tasks showed up after a reload. The UI has to be the focus for any quality of life additions. No game-breaking issues experienced so far.
🟣 STABILITY – No crashes experienced.
🟣 STEAM – Mostly story-based achievements. Cloud saving. Overlay screenshot capture. Full controller support.
🟣 OPTIMISATION – Runs at between 50-60 fps. Only a few times the fps dropped to mid-twenties in combat.
Verdict
Space Prison delivers a familiar blend of adventure, RPG and turn-based tactical combat. It successfully captures the distinct character of its sci-fi setting through the flavour and detail filled game world. The environment is filled with enough activities but not enough to overwhelm. While roleplaying may be lite, the joy of exploring the space station cannot be overstated. Inventory and crafting are extensive. TBT combat may not be comprehensive, but the host of party set-up options proves to be thought-provoking. Overall, the game and character progression are well-balanced, well-paced, and scaled accordingly.
Yes there bugs and other issues. Yes there could be more background activities to generate a more complex game world and yes, the UI requires a significant amount of QoL. Yet discovering the bleak prison life on offer in this quirky alien world while trying not to die, is more than criminally WORTHWHILE.
